AGST IGSL Theological Studies

This week, we have ThM and PhD students on campus for the Theology of Galatians module with Dr. Abraham Joseph. We thank God for this time of rich learning, fellowship, and training for faithful ministry.

Sent out to flourish! 🌱

We celebrate God’s immense faithfulness as the IGSL Class of 2026 to was commissioned to go and serve Christ across Asia and beyond.

Let us pray for these graduates as they live out being Empowered, Equipped, and Engaged, by proclaiming the gospel wherever the Lord leads them.

🎓 Congratulations, Batch 2026!
🌐 www.igsl.asia

Congratulations to our PhD and ThM graduates this year! Rejoice with us for all that God has done in their lives through these years of rigorous study, faithful preparation, and spiritual growth. Praise the Lord!

What a blessing to gather in person once again and close out another school year together. This year, we celebrated the graduation of 1 PhD student (Margaret John) and 3 ThM students (Jonathan Gumintad, Reyson Ventura, and Areem Zia) who have persevered and finished well.

We’re grateful to God for bringing men and women from different parts of the world to be equipped through the program. It's a joy to witness this community of theologians grow year after year!

Congratulations to Jonathan Gumintad, who successfully defended his thesis entitled, "Christ Our Healer: A Historical-Theological Retrieval of Jesus as Healer for CAMACOP Churches Today". His thesis addresses a real need: while C&MA has historically placed special emphasis on Christ as healer, the theme has receded in importance in recent years.

To enrich CAMACOP's vision for holistic healing, Jonathan turned to the past — specifically to Cyprian of Carthage, who led his congregation through a devastating plague, and Basil of Caesarea, credited with laying the foundation for Christian hospitals. His work is a fine example of putting the Great Tradition to work in the service of the church in Asia. Well done, Jonathan!

Congratulations to Margaret John on her successful dissertation defense!

Margaret's dissertation argues that the doctrine of the church has long been neglected in Indian theology, a gap made all the more urgent by the increasing persecution the Indian church now faces. In this context, the church is tempted to become defensive or to withdraw into itself. Building on Lesslie Newbigin's missionary ecclesiology and drawing from Scripture and Christian tradition, she calls the Indian church to recover its identity as a missional community sent by God to practice compassion, pursue justice, and bear faithful witness to the gospel.

Well done, Margaret!

Congratulations to Areem Zia for a successful thesis defense today! Areem's thesis explored the most challenging and important issue in Christian theology in Islamic contexts: the doctrine of the Trinity. He explored the relevance of Herman Bavinck in strengthening Pakistani expressions of and defenses of the Trintiy, and pointed the way for some important further study. Well done, Areem!

Join us in congratulating Reyson Ventura on his successful ThM thesis defense today! Reyson's thesis offered a case study in "Theological Interpretation of Scripture," considering 1 Cor 8:1-6 in the Filipino context. He argued that the Filipino concept of 𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘰 (the one who comes to the rescue or helps) helps us understand how Paul sees Jesus (the ultimate 𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘰) and clarifies our calling as Christians—as those called to care for one another.

Congratulations to Edcarl Cortez, Gabriel Luigi Bautista, and Modesto Biolango III for being selected as presenters for this year's AGST Graduate Student Online Theological Consultation!

We invite you to join us for this event. Contact Dr. Matthias Gergan at [email protected] for more details.

Our programs offer rigorous, world-class theological training that prepares leaders for both advanced scholarship and faithful service to the Church.

Visit our website for more information: https://igsl.asia/academics/advanced-studies-programs/thm-phd-in-theological-studies/

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